and it's gone too far

He saw it coming but with the ball launching in the air, he really couldn’t do anything but stop and watch it happen. Closing one eye, he watched with the other and cringed as it smacked Sloane right in the head. Jogging over, he retrieved the ball from the ground. “Oh my god…” He muttered under his breath, hoping this would go over well considering he just hit the poor girl in the skull. Though, she was smiling so contagiously, he did the same. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” He said, a laugh slipping out. “I’m not really awake yet. Slipped right out of my hands.” Reaching forward, he placed a hand on the side of her head and brushed blonde hair back. “I’m thinking this is my sign that I should be benched.” 

Sloane reached up to pull out one of her headphones, smiling, despite the fact that a basketball had come spiraling out of nowhere only to come in contact with her head. This was exactly the kind of situation Sloane seemed to find herself in –– just her luck. As his hand grazed the side of her face, she turned into it slightly. “I’m fine, Zach, really. Just, next time, aim for the basket, alright?” Sloane said, flashing him a smile. “Walk with me.” 

“Hopefully I look good in the moonlight, too…” Rhys commented with a gentle laugh, lifting his shoulders in a light shrug. After a moment, watching her, trying to gauge her, he smile. “What brings you by?” He didn’t mind, of course, because he hadn’t seen her in a while. Now she wasn’t stopping by the babysit Elena every now and again, their meetings were becoming more and more infrequent. “Staying a while?” he added, then.

“You know you look good all the time, you don’t need me to tell you.” Sloane mused, with a chuckle. As time went on, her time spent seeing Rhys dimished slightly. Not that she didn’t want to see him, but it was difficult to come up with an excuses as to why she would stop by. Which is why, this time, she didn’t have one. “Honestly? I just wanted to come see you.” Her teeth grazed the inside of her lip for a moment before speaking once again. “If you’ll let me.”

Slouched in the back of a yellow cab after a few too many mojitos, Sloane held onto her phone like it was her child, quickly sending a text to the only person she wanted to see. Can you come over? I’m gonna be home in a few. I need you. Within minutes, the cab was pulling up to of her Kingsgate mansion, which on nights like this felt a bit lonely. With a wave and the wordless exchange of couple twenties, the cab was on its way, leaving Sloane in the driveway. It was unlike the blonde to go out drinking alone without cause, and this evenings cause was a heavy one.

 It had been three years since Sloane had last spoken to her father –– after being arrested for embezzlement and fraud, their relationship crumbled instantly. He was a liar; He raised her to appreciate the money she worked for, and the hypocrite didn’t even work for his own. Her father, Henry Montgomery, was an upstanding elitist on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. His face plastered newspapers, news stations, anything. Of course, without any contact towards the man, she has left out of the trial and everything surrounding it. Until, of course, she learns, via Channel 1 News, that her father plead guilty in his appeal hearing. And voila! A perfect reason to go out and get drunk. 

One foot in front of the other, the blonde made her way inside, plopping all of her belongings on the table in the foyer. In a house like this, there were about a million places to go, and yet the first place in Sloane’s mind was the wine cellar. Walking down the isles, a lonely slender finger traced the bottles, looking for her favorite: ‘95 Bordeaux. After her eyes finally landed on the bottle, the woman trudged herself upstairs, only to pour herself a tall glass and wait. || @benxscott

“Not that you don’t always look hot, but look hot okay? It’s your birthday which means the easiest way to get drinks from pretty people and as usual, my goal is to find the prettiest for you.” Kaia mused from her place on Sloane’s bed, eyes on her phone as she shot off a text and a snapchat within second of each other. Kaia was pretty positive the other could wear jeans and a tank top and still garner some looks though, so she wasn’t too concerned. “Do you have a preference where we go? We can go to the Dragon’s Keep or Drink but if we want the option to dance then i’m thinking Cube all the way…” | @sloane-claremont

Kaia’s words rang in the blonde's ears as her blue eyes scanned the racks and racks of clothes that hung in her closet. Sloane looked over her shoulder, a lazy hand tucking her curls behind her ear. “Ok, really hot. Got it.” Without hesitation, her slender fingers wrapped around one of the millions of hangers in front of her. This one, however, held up a tight black dress with an open back, of course. Turning towards the brunette, Sloane held the dress against her body, eyes shifting from the dress then back up towards her friend. “Do we like?” A smile tugged at her lips. With their birthday’s only one day apart, going out for drinks was the perfect girls night out idea for them. Sloane was beyond excited to spend some time with a girl she adored. “Oh, deinietly Cube. Have you seen my dance moves?” 

“Definitely is…” Rhys responded with a smile, moving to lean back against near where he was stood. “You’ll have to forgive the dirt,” he added after a moment, gesturing to his shirt —- but this was what happened when you spent the afternoon working on the front yard. It could have been worse, he could have been out the back with the animals. “How you doin’?”

Taking a few steps forward, Sloane’s nude heels clicked against the light grey pavement below her. In Sloane’s life, there was nobody like Rhys and he was definitely a refreshing presence. “Dirt has never looked bad on you, Rhys.” She said, putting a light hand on his forearm for a moment. “I’ve got to say, you look good in the daylight.” A chuckle escaped her chest. For most of the times when Sloane would babysit his daughter, he would come back at wee hours of the night and the two would merely catch glances from one another. Not that those glances didn’t mean anything to her though. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen that pretty face of yours.”

Sauntering towards the bar after the initial entrance through the front door of the Dragon’s Keep, Sloane’s blonde locks bounced around her shoulders as her eyes scanned the patrons that filled the bar. One hand held a glass, condensation dripping from its edges, filled with amber liquid, while the slender fingers of her other were wrapped gracefully around the skinny straws floating in the glass. Finishing it quickly, Sloane placed it on the bar with a soft clink, flashing a smile at a bartender.  It wasn’t an unusual occurrence to find Sloane Marie Cordelia Claremont-Montgomery in a bar at night and the Dragon’s Keep was her regular spot, considering the fact that there was no such thing as a bar in Kingsgate –– only country clubs and art galleries. And she wasn’t at liberty to complain. Sloane had chosen to live in that neighborhood, primarily based on the fact that she felt like the people around her would connect to her ( solely on a classism level ). Either way, it felt really nice to get out of her neighborhood and go into Westbrook. With a smile on her face, Sloane tucked her hair behind her ear before tapping a broad-shouldered man. Typically, she wasn’t the type to do things like this, but she had just landed an important client at the firm and bought herself some new perfume, so she was feeling like an entirely new woman. “Care to buy me a drink?” || @bobbymurphyy

Skipping the gym in the AM was a risk for Zach – it was out of habit and structure but nobody in Westbrook ever played anymore. Despite age, everyone was too busy hustling out of their apartments to get to work or move on with their busy lives. Tossing a ball back and forth between his friend in the middle of the street, Zach overshot his throw. With a laugh, he ran in the direction where the ball went while speaking to his friend. “Look, I was always better on my feet! My hands are a disaster.”

Sloane’s early morning jog was nothing different than usual -- running from Kingsgate, through Haverford, and ending right in Westbrook. Sloane needed a morning distraction lately. Even though it had been years, since Father’s day had only just passed a few weeks ago, she was still a little bitter at her recently diminishing relationship with her father. Sloane was quickly shaken from her thoughts at the quick thud of a basketball to the side of the head. A small grunt escaped her lips as she looked around, one lonely hand reaching up to comfort her temple.  “Hey!” Sloane said, into the void, unsure of where the ball had come from. And that’s when she saw Zach. With a smile on her face, the blonde reached to pull out one headphone from her ear. “Watch where you throw that thing, will you? I don’t know much about basketball, but I’m pretty sure the basket is..” Sloane’s words trailed off, her ocean blue eyes shifting from the court, and then back to the broad man in front of her. “Over there.” She mused, pointing in the direction from whence he came. 

@sloane-claremont;

Rhys had been out in the front yard for the past hour or so when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. It had happened a few times already, people passing by, but this time it was closer and he found himself glancing back over his shoulder. As he turned he found Sloane approaching and a smile soon worked its way onto his features. He was up and onto his feet several moments later, brushing the soil from his hands. “She’s not here…” he mused lightly, a slight in-joke due to the fact she used to babysit Elena.

Sloane constantly found herself driving through this neighborhood on her way back from work and since she had gotten off early from her day at the firm, she decided she would stop in at an oh-so-familiar house. Dressed in her work attire, nude heels clicking against the sidewalk, a smile graced her face, pulling on the corners of her lips. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m not here to see her.” She mused, his figure getting larger with every step she took.  

As he settled at the table, Ben wondered for a moment if she should have helped Sloane up, but figured she’d probably demand it anyway if she needed to the help —- she was definitely the type to. Taking a sip of his beer, he shrugged his shoulders in response to her question, although felt he had to laugh a little. “Missed everything? What do you think you’ve missed?” he asked her with a shake of his head. “I mean, I’m working again… so that’s good. I’m dating someone. I think anyone. We’re still in that kind of limbo thing.”

“You have some sort of personal life, don’t you?” Slone mused. Most of the time she got so caught up in her own life, she tended to miss out on those of her friends. Not without trying, of course. Once again, her slender fingers wrapped the two skinny straws as she took a sip of her cocktail as she listened to her friend talk about things that may have seemed insignificant to him, but were merely interesting to her. “Dating someone?” Sloane couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in Ben’s direction as she flashed him a smile.

“Is it not relevant?” He stared at her, pointing at her cup while he held his in his hand. “All of them.” He retorted back, crinkling his nose at the banter. “So do I ever come up in discussion?” A joke, though curiosity got the best of him. “It’s not that deep. They’re just good lyrics. Most of them.” Though, he knew she was just teasing, he felt the need for clarification. “I have to appreciate you always trying to listen to me, though. Do you have experience with toddlers? I think I’m on the spectrum with their thought processes.”

A smile spread across her cheeks. “Don’t you always come up in conversation, Zach?” She mused although nothing she was saying was a breach of honesty. Sloane talked about him, few times on occasion, but he did come up. Nodding her head along with Zach’s words, her blonde locks bouncing in unison, Sloane rolled her eyes playfully in his direction. If someone asked her, at that moment, to sum up, their relationship, Sloane wasn’t sure if she would be able to do so. She loved spending time with him, sure. Did he feel the same way? Probably not so much. Sloane wasn’t one to overthink things much or dwell on certain aspects of her life that may not need it. “Can’t say I haven’t been around a few toddlers now and again. Come on, though, Zach, I think I would put you just a bit above a toddlers mindset. Only a bit though.” She mused. 

         Legs stretched out in front of her, Kelsey looked up towards the blonde and felt her stomach ache for something more than ice cream which was looking less appetising every second they spoke about cheese. “Mmm, Crottin de Chavignol—” The brunette mumbled in her best French accent, which she knew sounded no where near authentic. “Whoa, I’m terrible at accents…” Kelsey paused, wondering why nobody had told her before. “Okay real talk though, how many sleepovers have you had on this couch?” The brunette asked as Sloane joined her, the couch stretching across the room. “I’m pretty sure it’s bigger than my entire apartment.”

Sloane looked down at Kelsey, her ocean blue eyes scanning the girl's face before a smile spread across her cheeks. A laugh escaped. “Oh, come on, Kels, you’re not that bad.” Sloane shook her head, her curled blonde locks bouncing over her shoulders. Her perky head cocked to the side, eyes squinting in thought. “Hundreds.” Sloane’s words trailed off. Sometimes she felt like this wasn’t something she deserved -- Why her? Why did she deserve all the money she had? Even though it came from her own hard work, at times, in a town like this, it felt like she didn’t deserve it. She shook her head, thoughts flooding out of her mind as she did so. “Don’t think I won’t drag your ass to sleep over tonight -- And I’m not taking no as an answer.” Sloane flashed Kelsey one of her famous wide eyed smiles. 

Laughter escaping, Ben led Sloane over to a nearby table, taking a seat a moment later and leaning back into it. They’d known each other for a couple of years ago now and he knew the way they’d met wasn’t the most traditional —- in fact, some would have said it wasn’t great either. A friendship had blossomed somewhere along the way, though, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. She was the best person possible to keep an eye on him. When she explained the guy, he looked over in that direction, eyebrows knitting together. “Okay, yeah, you’re totally right,” he responded, chuckling. “He’s spending the evening alone.”

She followed her friend over to a high top bar table, where the chairs seemed to hover over her tiny frame. With one muster of her energy, Sloane hopped up into one of the chairs. Like a mother hen ruffling her feathers, she settled deep into the seats. She knew that she would always, no matter what, look out for Ben. He might not need it most of the time, but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t give it to him. Didn’t everyone need someone to protect them? Her chin lay rested on her curled up fist. “What’s going on with you?” Sloane asked, her words genuine and full of interest. “I feel like I’ve missed everything.”

Sloane’s words were correct, of course, and Ben lent back in his seat, exhaling slowly and loudly. “Fine, fine,” he mused. It was the last thing he’d want, truth be told, his violent days very much behind him now —- as she knew —- but he still couldn’t help himself. “No taking out anyone. I’ll behave myself for now.” He chuckled gently, taking a drink from the bottle in his hand. “Not your type?” he laughed, then glanced over his shoulder. “Is he mine?”

The way the two had first met had been one for the storybooks, not that it was necessarily full of unforgettable moments or anything, but it was certainly unique. She was assigned to his case, as an intern at her firm. She thought he was just some hot guy that she’d have to work on defending, but Ben ended up being so much more than they. She felt more comfortable around him than anyone else. Sloane looked over her shoulder, ocean blue eyes scanning the bar until they landed on the stranger who had previously been trying to ease his way up on her. “Unless your type is a scrappy and bloated creep, then I’m guessing not. You can do so much better.” Sloane took another sip of her drink. “

Chuckling softly, Ben took another sip of his drink, and then nodded his head, quite happy to accept her compliment in that moment —- even if he had half forced it out of her. “Knew it…” he murmured, still laughing, but only joking around with her. “Oh…” a pause and a wrinkle of his nose as he glanced around. “I need to take someone out?” He was kidding, of course, but he liked to think he’d be there if she needed him like that.

Sloane’s slender fingertips wrapped around the thin straws that floated around in her mixed drink, ice clinking against the glass softly. She took a sip slowly, batting her long eyelashes up at the man in front of him. Sloane just loved to joke around with Ben. It was nothing but pure fun. “I don’t think anyone needs you taking out anyone, right Scotty” She mused. Although she was mostly joking, Sloane knew that Ben was always there for her. As she was for him. “Just some drunk guy trying to get some.”

                    Mild thunderstruck was the painted reaction to actually finding one of the car owners, his brows slightly lifting, a wispy smile gracing lips–– a benevolent rumble to the cognition, like a rain after a drought. He stepped forward, eyes glancing back as he adequately approached, hazel hues dropping down to watch her furrow through her purse, “No need to apologize,” The male assured, a corner of his mouth lifting upwards, “I should’ve gotten done with my errands sooner, these streets always fill up on a nice weekend. It isn’t a place for a pick-up,” He stated, shoulders canted to one side, head turning to glance back at his own vehicle, navy and in need of a clean. He watched her pull her keys out, his legs side-stepping towards the curb as he followed her movements, “… Just glad I found you, honestly,” He smiled, a jest resting on the back of his throat, “–Only kept me waitin’ five minutes.”

Sloane’s eyes grazed the man in front of her.  Although she might not have known him personally, she tried her best to get a gist of his personality in the few moments that they spoke. She did that sometimes. His face was unfamiliar but gentle. Kind, if anything. As a smile grazed his lips, it was as if she was involuntarily following his actions as her lips crept into a grin. “I like it,” Sloane said confidently, referring to the navy pick-up truck that sat, parked, in front of the two of them. She was rained in an affluent household, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York. She didn’t get the chance to see pick up trucks often. It screamed country boy. “Remind me not to keep you waiting next time.” She mused, with a smile.

“Oh, you think my face is beautiful, huh?” Ben mused with a playful grin, tilting his head for a moment. He was teasing her, of course, because he knew he could get away with it when it came to Sloane, he’d been doing it for a while, of course. “Having a rough night, I take it? What’s going on?” he questioned, glancing over his shoulder a moment. 

Ben Scott. A man she adored. ].  “Absolutely ravishing,” Sloane said softly, a genuine smile spread across her pink lips. She shook her head, her blonde locks bouncing around her framed face as she did so. Her eyes rolled back as her tongue grazed across her bottom lip as she back over her shoulder. “ -- Bar creeps, you know?” Sloane looked back at Ben. “I’m just glad you’re here.” 

Cadence’s attention perked as the stranger approached her – she seemed innocuous enough, though she wondered why the girl hadn’t targeted someone with a… friendlier vibe. She offered Sloane a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders. “Am I allowed to mouth gibberish or are you asking me to engage in actual conversation?”

“Gibberish will do just fine.” Sloane wasn’t looking for a new best friend or even someone to really talk to. As long as it looked like she was deep in conversation, she assumed the stranger’s actions would subside. And, luckily, Sloane was right. As she peered back towards the corner of the bar, she saw the man start up a conversation with some other blonde. Who knows? Maybe he had a type. Slowly, Sloane turned her head back around to look at the person sitting next to her.